Heat treating system for grains and legumes

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for heat treating granular, organic materials and primarily, through not exclusively, intended for such treatment of whole soybeans, comprising a drum mounted for rotation within an elongated receiver, the drum being provided with radially outwardly and longitudinally extending fins forming a peripheral series of pockets traveling with the drum, a gas or electric heating element associated with the receiver and means for driving the drum to cause the granular material to be thrown rapidly and intermittently into close proximity to the heating element.

United States Patent Skelton 1 Feb. 27, 1973 1 HEAT TREATING SYSTEM FOR 2,695,461 11/1954 Langley et al. ..263/33 R GRAINS AND LEGUMES 2,850,273 9/1958 Barnes 3,368,475 2/1968 Truay Inventor: RobertF- Skelmn, Bluffton, 3,408,969 11/1968 Maurice ..263/33 R 3 A :M'-M'llln.Blffto,ld. [7 1 sslgnee Ix u n n Primary Examiner-John J. Camby [22] Fi dl J ly 1971 Attorney-Roy E. Hofer [21] Appl.No.: 161,560 [57] ABSTRACT Related Application Data An apparatus for heat treating granular, organic [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 27,683, April 13, materials and P y through not exclusively 1970,abandoned tended for such treatment of whole soybeans, comprising a drum mounted for rotation within an elon- 52 vs. (:1. ..263/33 R, 99/235 R gated receiver, the drum being provided with radially 51 1111.01 ..F27b 7/14 outwardly and longitudinally extending n forming a [58] Field of Search ..263/33 32 34 Periphcra Series of traveling with the drum gas or electric heating element associated with the [56] References Cited receiver and means for driving the drum to cause the granular material to be thrown rapidly and intermit- UNITED STATES PATENTS tently into close proximity to the heating element.

1,766,445 6/1930 McKay ..263/33 R 30 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures PATENTED Y 3,718,322

SHEET 2 or 6 -INVENTOR ROBERT F. SKELTON M WW ATTORNEYS PATENTEI] FEB 2 7 I973 SHEET 3 BF 6 ROBERT F. SKELTON $04 ATTORNEYS PATENTEBFEBZYIEITS 3,718,322

SHEET 4 0F 6 LI N I f IN I l l 1 228 I I if l 242 f 238 E- TIME DELAY MEANS I L i:liit l 1 s l Z 2 ll 70 l4 -4 NVENTOR F1 '9 :(jBERT F. SKEL/TON g y/www /w ATTORNEYS PATENTED FEB 2 7 I973 SHEET 5 [1F 6 HEAT TREATING SYSTEM FOR GRAINS AND LEGUMES This application is a continuation-in-part of applicants Ser. No. 27,683, filed Apr. 13, 1970, now abandoned.

The present invention is concerned with the treatment of granular, organic materials, including legumes and grains, to improve their flavor and nutritional characteristics. The primary object of the present invention, therefore, is analogous to the objects of the inventions disclosed and claimed in US. Pat. Nos. 3,343,961 issued Sept. 26, 1967 and 3,368,475 issued Feb. 13, 1968, the present invention being an improvement over that disclosed and claimed in the latter of the above identified patents.

Specifically, it is an object of my present invention to provide an apparatus which is relatively inexpensive and uncomplicated in structure, but yet which is extremely effective for the intended purpose of heat treating granular organic material. In meeting this object, I have provided an apparatus which accommodates the extremely high and concentrated temperatures associated with heat treatment of the granules. In this regard, my gas-type apparatus includes an elongated, trough-like receiver, a drum mounted in the receiver for turning movement about its own axis which extends longitudinally of the receiver, and gas burner means including conduit means extending longitudinally of the receiver and arranged to project a laterally-restricted wall of flame extending longitudinally and inwardly toward a peripherally-narrow, longitudinally-continuous region of the drum of continuously-changing peripheral position during turning movement thereof. My preferred gas burner is formed by a plurality of axially aligned conduit sections jointed together so that each such section can independently longitudinally expand and contract. This feature prevents undue warping caused by the concentrated heat on the side of the burner which faces inwardly of the receiver. My jointed gas burner preferably rests on the longitudinally extending side edges of a longitudinally extending slot formed in the upper portion of the receiver, the receiver being provided with a longitudinally spaced plurality of expansion slits, in its upper portion, each of which is in communication with the slot and extending laterally away therefrom. Thus, the portion of the receiver which is subjected to the greatest amount of heat is prevented from warping by means of these expansion slits.

It is another particularly important object of my invention to provide apparatus for heat treating granular organic materials which includes simple, reliable control means for controllably feeding granules into the inlet end of the receiver for movement toward its outlet end and means for controlling the heating element. I prefer that the feeding means be electrically operated and that the apparatus include a switch dominating the feeding means and means for operating the switch to start the feeding means when the receiver is heated to a predetermined temperature suitable for processing and to stop the feeding means when the receiver cools below this predetermined temperature.

In order to assure that granules will not be fed to the receiver and that the heating element will not operate unless the drum is being turned within the receiver, I

provide a centrifugal switch which is drivingly connected to the drum or to the drive means for the drum, this switch dominating the controls for the feeding means as well as the controls for the heating element.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, my invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that change may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described, so long as the scope of the appended claims is not violated.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view, partially sectioned and cut away, of one embodiment of my heat treating system;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken from FIG. I generally along line 2-2, the view being cut away at various points to show details of my system;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view showing the flame sensing means of the FIG. 1 embodiment;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged elevational view, partially cut away, of the FIG. 1 embodiment showing the receiver through which the granules move, the drum mounted for rotation within the receiver and the burner;

FIG. Sis an enlarged sectional view taken from FIG. 4 generally along the line 5-5;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view, partially cut away, showing one conduit section of the gas burner of the FIG. 1 embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken from FIG. 6 generally along the line 7-7;

FIG. 8 is another sectional view similar to FIG. 7, but showing a modified flame guard arrangement; and

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing preferred controls for the FIG. 1 embodiment,

FIG. 10 is an elevational view, partially sectioned and cut away, of another heat treating system;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 11-11 ofFIG. 10; and

FIG. 12 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 12-12 of FIG. 10.

The apparatus of the present application has been designed, and has been used, primarily for the treatment of whole, unextracted soybeans and in the following specification it will be discussed in reference to soybeans. However, my apparatus has been found to be be beneficial in the treatment of shelled corn and I be lieve that it may well be useful in the treatment of other legumes, grains, seeds, nuts and similar discrete or granular organic materials. The inherent characteristics of my apparatus are such that the individual granules of the material being treated are moved repeatedly, and for very short intermittent periods, through a region in which they are subjected to heat from the heating element, including infrared energy, the granules being carried, after each such brief period, through a region of much lower temperature and generally out of the field of infra-red energy, for a much longer period, whereby burning or overcooking of the granules is obviated.

Referring more particularly to the drawings and specifically to FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 5 thereof, it will be seen that I have shown my gas-type apparatus, indicated generally at 10, as comprising a base frame 12 upon which is supported a receiver 14, the receiver being in the form of a substantially closed, elongated housing or trough which may be suitably incased in heat-insulating material indicated at 16. The base frame 12, which preferably is supported at one end by means of slope adjusting screws such as indicated at 18, includes vertically extending support frame members such as indicated at 20 which support the receiver 14 as well as the elements and mechanism associated therewith. The upper portion of the apparatus 10, i.e., the portion including the elongated receiver 14, is preferably covered with sheet metal panels 22 vented as indicated at 24.

As is most clearly shown in FIG. 5, the receiver 14 may advantageously comprise a lower portion 26 and an upper portion 28. Preferably, the cross-sectional contour of the lower portion 26 is an arc of a circle while the cross-sectional contour of the upper portion 28 is generally elliptical. Further, as is most clearly shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, the upper portion 28 provides a slot 30 which extends longitudinally along the uppermost portion of the receiver to receive the burner as will be described hereinafter. The upper portion 28 is also provided with a plurality of expansion slits 32 on each side of the slot 30, each slit 32 communicating with and extending from the slot 30 peripherally about the upper portion of the receiver 14 and downwardly toward its lower portion 26. These expansion slits 32 are covered by deflectors 34 which are formed to the contour of the upper portion 28 and which are, respectively, welded or otherwise securely fastened at at one point to the upper portion as indicated at 36 so that the slits 32 can expand and contract under their associated deflectors 34. For reasons which will become apparent as this description progresses, the upper portion 28 is subjected to significantly greater amounts of heat than the lower portion 26 and it is for this reason that the expansion slits 32 are provided.

A drum 40 is mounted within the receiver 14 for rotation about its axis defined by the shaft 42, which axis is preferably concentric with the arc of the lower receiver portion 26. The shaft 42 is journal mounted in the apparatus by bearing means such as indicated at 44 in FIG. 1. In the illustrative and preferred embodiment, the drum 40 is a hollow, sheet metal formed drum supported by means of concentric circular plates such as indicated at 46 in FIGS. 1 and 5, which plates are welded or otherwise securely fastened to the shaft 42. The drum 40 is provided with a multiplicity of outwardly-extending fins 48 which are preferably uniformly peripherally spaced about the external surface of the drum. I prefer that there be approximately one-half inch clearance between the tip of each fin 48 and the inside surface of the lower receiver portion 26 in order to keep from cracking the soybeans.

In one operative embodiment of my gas-type apparatus, satisfactory results are achieved when using a drum 40 which is 60 inches long and 9 and 5: inches in outside diameter, the fins being parallel with the drum 'axis, being equally spaced at 22 and about the periphery of the drum and being 54 inch in radial extent, the drum being driven at 60 r.p.m. and the delivery end of the drum being I and 56 inch lower than the inlet end of the drum. The drum is tilted, of course, by means of the illustrated adjusting screws 18 which can be used adjustably to raise and lower the base frame 12 upon which the drum 40 is journal mounted. The drum 40 is driven at 60 r.p.m. by means which will be discussed hereinafter, the rotation of the drum 40 being indicated by the arrow 50in FIG. 5.

Soybeans or other granular organic materials are fed into the receiver 14 by means of an inlet hopper indicated at 52 which preferably includes a feed screw conveying means and variable speed drive arrangement 54, 56 such as disclosed in my US. Pat. No. 2,970,532.

The feed screw 54 delivers the beans at a controlled rate to a chute 58 from which the beans move into the inlet end of the receiver 14. Since the receiver 14 and drum 40 are inclined downwardly from the inlet end of the receiver and since the drum rotates, the beans move from the inlet end toward the exit end of the receiver 14 and out of the receiver as indicated at 60. From the exit end, the beans may fall directly onto the floor or into a bin or they may fall into a conveyor means such as indicated by the illustrated auger 62 in FIG. 1. During the movement of the beans from the inlet end to the exit end of the receiver 14, they are cascaded by the drum 40 and particularly by the fins 48 carried on the drum about the interior of the receiver. Specifically, the beans falling through chute 58 drop into the outwardly opening pockets defined by adjacent fins 48. At the outset, all of the beans in any one pocket will be disposed at the inlet end of the drum; but, because of the inclination of the axis of the drum and the floor of the receiver 14, the beams in any one pocket will tend to travel from right to left as viewed in FIG. 1 as rotation of the drum continues. Obviously, beans delivered to any pocket will first be carried in a counterclockwise direction (FIG. 5) down into and through the lower portion 26 of the receiver 14 and then up into and through the upper portion 28 of the receiver. As the cooperating fins 48 of any one pocket begin to enter the upper section of the receiver 14, the receiver wall moves farther away from the path of the fine edges to open the pocket outwardly and to permit the beans in that pocket to be thrown, in a generally tangential direction, through the upper portion 28 of the receiver. The manner in which the beans are heated as they are through through this upper portion 28 will be discussed hereinafter.

My preferred form of burner is indicated generally by the reference numeral 70, the burner being substantiallycoextensive with the receiver 14. As shown, the burner comprises a plurality of burner sections 72 axially aligned to extend substantially from end to end of the receiver 14. Each section 72 includes a conduit section 74 formed with a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart and axially aligned ports 76 through which a combustible mixture is forced and a plurality of conventionally arranged igniter ports 78. Each conduit section 74 is also provided, at one end, with a reduced portion as indicated at 80 and, at its other end, with an axially extending bore for telescopically receiving the reduced portion 80 of the adjacent conduit section. These reduced portions and bores provide slip joint connections between adjacent conduit sections to prevent warning of the burner 70 by the extreme heat on its lower side. I prefer that there be a loose (.010 inch) fit between each bore and reduced portion. The conduit sections 74 may be yieldably held together by means such as the illustrated spring-type bracket 81 in FIG. 4.

Each burner section 72 also includes flame guard means indicated by the reference numeral 82, the illustrative flame guard means comprising Z-shaped brackets 84, 86 secured to the conduit section 74 by means such as the illustrated welding fillets. The flame guard means 82 of each burner section 72 are longitudinally substantially coextensive with the series of ports 76 in its conduit section 74. The bracket 84 is formed with a lip 84a extending toward the similar, but allochirally arranged lip 86b of the bracket 86, the distal ends of said lips being narrowly laterally spaced apart to define a slit or laterally-restricted opening 88 through which the flame 90 is ejected as best shown in FIG. 7. The upper laterally extending portions of the brackets 84, 86 rest on the upper longitudinally extending edges of the upper receiver portion 28 defining the aforementioned slot 30. In order to permit expansion and contraction of the upper portion 28, which is slitted as indicated at 3 2, relative to the burner sections 72 and vice versa, I have not provided a rigid mechanical connection between the burner sections and the receiver 14. This is an important feature of my apparatus in that it permits me to use relatively inexpensive materials for fabricating the burner 70 and the receiver 14.

As will be more sully described hereinafter, a fuel mixture is supplied to the burner 70 and ignited to produce a longitudinally-extending substantially continuous, laterally narrow wall of flame 90 (FIG. 7) which, preferably, impinges upon that peripherally-narrow region of the external surface of the drum 40 which is, at any instant, in direct registry with the axially aligned openings or slits 88 provided by the flame guard means 82.

The soybeans or other granular, organic material is thus thrown through this wall of flame 90. The flame, of

course, heats the flame guard means 28 to a point of incandescence, whereby they become a source of infrared energy. The surface of the drum 40 and the fins 48 likewise are heated by the flame 90, but to a lesser degree. Thus, the means are exposed, for brief periods, to flame impingement by movement through the curtain or wall of flame, direct and close infra-red energy from the flange guard means, and, of course, to heat by convection as well as to heat by conduction. During this instantaneous passage of an individual bean through the flame curtain, its external surface is subjected to extremely high temperature whereby it is found that occasionally, a bean jacket will a actually ignite; but any such fire is very promptly extinguished as the bean falls back into a pocket and is carried into proximity with the wall of the lower portion 26 of the receiver, where the tire is smothered. The same is true, of course, of any trash or litter which may be delivered to the machine or which may accumulate as the bean jackets burst.

Because of this technique, a very intense heat can be used without scorching the beans. The time of each exposure of an individual bean to the direct flame and the infra-red energy is determined by the peripheral velocity of the drum 40 and the total number of such exposures is determined by the degree of inclination of the drum a axis and the receiver 14 floor.

The flame treatment times can be theoretically calculated as follows:

1. Bean exposure to flame per revolution of drum 40 assuming drum circumference of 28.85 inch (9.5 inch diameter), drum speed of one revolution per second, and flame 90 width of 1 inch:

te= l/29.85) X l= 0.0335 second exposed tu (28.85/29.85) X l 0.9665 second unexposed 2. Time in apparatus 10 assuming 750 pounds per hour flow rate, net area of flow 36.5 square inches (cross sectional area of receiver 14 less cross sectional area of drum 40), drum length of 60 inches, and beans weighing 60 pounds per bushel or 35.8 cubic inches per pound:

V= Q/A [(750/60 X 35.8)/(36.5 12.25 inches per minute Where Q flow rate in cubic inches per minute T= UV =(60/l2.25) =4.9 minutes in machine Where L =length of drum 40 (60 inches) 3. Number of exposure of each bean:

N= T RPM 4.9 x 60 294 exposures 4. Total time each bean exposed to flame:

Ie 294 X 0.0335 9.849 seconds 5. Total time each bean in apparatus and unexposed to flame:

Tu 294 X 0.9665 284.151 seconds The heat required for proper treatment of soybeans ranges from 250 to 350 B.T.U. per pound and is influenced by the temperature and the moisture content of the raw beans introduced to the apparatus. Some heat, of course, passes through the receiver 14 into the room atmosphere; other heat escapes with the exhaust gases; but most of the heat is absorbed in the beans or is used in reducing their moisture content. The beans discharged from the apparatus 10 contain approximately 5 percent less moisture than the beans introduced into the apparatus.

In FIG. 8, I have shown a slightly modified flame guard associated with the conduit section 74. In this modified form, the lip 86b of the bracket 86 is formed to be inclined somewhat inwardly with respect to the receiver 14 in order to guard against the possibility of the entry of beans through the slot 88'.

Thus far, I have described the preferred structural features of the trough-like receiver 14, drum 40 and burner and, in particular, the manner in which I construct the receiver 14 and burner 70 to accommodate the extremely high temperatures required for cooking soybeans and which result in difficult expansion and contraction problems. Specifically, I believe that the slip jointed burner 70 in combination with and resting on the upperportion of the receiver 14 which is provided with expansion slits 32 provides an extremely effective and low-cost structure which will accommodate the necessary high temperatures. It will be appreciated that the receiver 14 can be fabricated from relatively inexpensive sheet metal while the conduit sections 74 can be fabricated from standard pipe to which the flame guard means 82 are welded.

In the illustrative embodiment, a motor 94, which is the prime mover my ny apparatus 10, is mounted on the base frame 12 as best shown in FIG. 1. This motor 94 is drivingly connected to a shaft 96 by means such as the coupling indicated at 98 (FIG. 1), the shaft 96 being conventionally journal mounted in the apparatus 10.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, it will be seen that I have provided a blower 100 including fan blades 102 mounted for rotation with the shaft 96. Operation of this blower 100 draws air into an inlet opening 104 and forces it upwardly through a manifold 106 (FIG. 2) and into the burner 70, i.e., through the conduit sections 74 of the burner 70. I also provide a fuel connection conduit 108 which is connected through a manuallyoperated valve 1 used for adjustment of fuel flow and an electrically-operated valve 112, the function of which will be discussed hereinafter, to a conduit section 114 which, as shown in FIG. 1, injects the fuel into the blower 100. The fuel entering the conduit 108 may be, for instance, a liquefied petroleum such as propane, the rate of flow of which is determined by adjusting the valve 110. The blower 100, therefore, delivers a combustible mixture of fuel and air to the burner 70 as indicated by the arrows 116 (FIG. 2), whereby that mixture will be ejected, through the ports 76, toward the drum 40. Ignition means for igniting the combustible mixture will be described hereinafter.

It will be appreciated that the illustrated means for delivering a combustible mixture to the burner 70 is somewhat conventional and, therefore, that it need not be discussed in detail herein.

In the illustrative embodiment, I use an intermediate shaft 120 which is journal mounted in the apparatus 10 by means such as the illustrated bearings 122. The previously mentioned auger 62 may be drivingly connected to this shaft 120 by means such as the illustrated shaft 124 which is journal mounted as indicated at 126 and which is coupled to the shaft 120 as indicated at 128.

The intermediate shaft 120 may be driven from the shaft 96 by means such as the illustrated V-belt 130 which is trained about a pulley 132 on the shaft 120 and a pulley 134 onthe shaft 96. The drum shaft 42 may be drivingly connected to the shaft 120 by means such as the illustrated chain 136 which is trained about a sprocket 138 mounted on the shaft 42 and a sprocket 140 mounted on the shaft 120. The hopper drive arrangement 56 may be drivingly connected to the shaft 42 by means of a chain 142 which is trained about a sprocket 144 and a similar sprocket (not shown) in the drive arrangement 56. In FIG. 2, I show a spring-loaded idler roller 143 for keeping proper tension on the chain 142. The sprocket 144 is drivingly connected to the shaft 42 by means of an electrically-operated clutch 146 which, in the illustrative embodiment, includes a solenoid 148 and a spring 150 acting in opposition to the solenoid. The clutch 146 which I have constructed and used works in the following manner. The sprocket 144 is rigidly mounted on a concentric hub 151 which can rotate relative to the sprocket 138. This hub 151 has a pair of holes in it which are arranged to engage,

respectively, a pair of axially extending pins carried by the sprocket 138. When the solenoid 148 is deenergized, the spring 150 pushes the hub 151 into engagement with the sprocket 138 drivingly to connect the hopper drive arrangement 56'to the sprocket 138. Beans are fed, therefore, when the solenoid 148 is deenergized and the drum 40 is rotated.

For reasons which will be explained hereinafter, I provide a centrifugal switch indicated at 152 as a control element, this switch being associated with the intermediate shaft 120. The switch 152, in the illustrative embodiment, includes a pair of chains 154 which, as shown in FIG. 1, are connected between a longitudinally stationary point on the shaft 120 and an axially movable collar 156 on the shaft, these chains being conventionally weighted. The collar 156 carries a circular plate 158 which moves axially to the right as viewed in FIG. 1 when the shaft 120 is rotating at the desired speed to move away from and operate a microswitch 160. The collar 156 and plate 158 move axially to the right in opposition to a coiled compression spring 162. Thus, if for some reason, this shaft significantly slows down or stops, the spring 162 takes over to move the plate 158 into engagement with the switch 160. As will be described hereinafter, I prefer that the switch be closed when the shaft 120 rotates and open when the shaft is not rotating.

Further, for reasons to be explained hereinafter, I provide a temperature sensing rod which extends longitudinally through the apparatus 10 (FIG. 1) with the left-hand end of the rod being connected to the end wall of the apparatus as indicated at 172 and with the right-hand end of the rod being free to move slightly axially relative to the right-hand end wall of the receiver 14. The sensing rod 170 remains substantially the same length, while the apparatus 10 is heated up and cooled down because the rod is disposed in the insulating material 16. The receiver, of course, expands and contracts during the heating up and cooling down of the apparatus to move the end wall to which the rod 170 is connected as indicated at 17 2. In effect, the sensing rod 170 moves to the left as the apparatus 10 heats up and to the right as it cools down. I mount a block 174 on the right-hand end of the rod in the control section portion of the apparatus as shown in FIG. 1, this block 174 carrying a pair of screws 176, 178. The screw 176 is arranged to trip a precision snap switch and the screw 178 is arranged to trip another precision snap switch 182. As will be discussed hereinafter, the screw 176 is advanced to operate the switch 180 before the screw 178' operates the switch 182. I prefer that the screw 176 be adjusted so that the switch 180 will be tripped a period of time after the burner 70 is ignited which is sufficient to permit the flame guard means 82 of the burner to become a dull red after which processing of beans can begin. It will take approximately 2 minutes for this to occur. I prefer that the screw 178 be adjusted so that the switch 182 will be tripped if the temperature of the illustrated stack 192 approaches, for instance, 750 F. This switch 182, is, therefore a high-limit temperature switch which is utilized in my burner control means as will be discussed in conjunction with FIG. 9.

The stack 192 conveys the products of combustion, as well as any vapors driven off from the material under treatment, upwardly and away from a compartment 190 at the left-hand end (FIG. 1) of the apparatus 10. I prefer to use a draft diverter 194 of conventional type between the stack 192 and a stack 196 which carries the exhaust, for instance, through an opening in the roof.

In FIGS. 1 and 3, I have illustrated a flame sensing means 200 which is mounted on a bracket 202 and arranged to observe a flame emitted from the burner 70 through an opening 204. I prefer to use a commercially available ultraviolet sensing device for determining whether or not the burner 70 is providing a flame. The manner in which the means 200 may be utilized in my control circuitry will be discussed in conjunction with FIG. 9.

With the above description in mind, I turn now to FIG. 9 which is a schematic of my preferred control system for the gas-type apparatus.

Power is supplied to the control circuitry across terminals labeled I. and N. conventionally, I provide a main power switch 210 which connects the entire control circuitry to L The motor 94 is initially started by holding down a switch 212 which connects the motor through the main switch 210 to L If the switch 212 is held down for a sufficient period of time to permit the shaft 120 to rotate at the desired speed, the plate 158 will move to the right as discussed previously to permit closing of the switch 160, hereinafter to be referred to as the centrifugal switch. This switch 160 provides power to the automatic controls of my apparatus 10.

The solenoid 148 of the electrically operated clutch 146 is controlled by a toggle switch illustrated as a movable contact member 214 and two stationary contact members 216, 218. The contact member 214 may be manually placed in its neutral position or against either the contact member 216 or the contact member 218. When the member 214 is against the member 216, the clutch 146 is automatically operated at the desired times by my control system. The contact member 214 can be placed against the contact member 218 to keep the solenoid 148 energized as long as the switch 160 and switch 210 are closed.

When the contact member 214 is against the contact member 216, the clutch 146 is energized through the switches 210, 160 and 180. It will be remembered that the switch 180 is tripped by movement of the temperature rod 170 to the left. Thus, the solenoid 148 will be energized to prevent feeding of beans into the receiver 14 even though the drum 40 is turning until the rod 170 moves to the left an amount sufficient to trip the switch 180. When the switch 180 is tripped, its movable contact member moves from its illustrated position against the stationary contact member 180a through which current flows to the solenoid 148 to its opposite stationary contact member 180!) through which current flows, as long as the switch 160 and the switch 210 are closed, to keep the motor 94 energized. In this regard, once the burner 70 is operated for a period of time sufficient to heat the flame guard means 82 to incandescence, the motor 94 will keep the drum 40 rotating, i.e., the motor 94 will be energizedthrough switches 210, 160 and 180 until the entire system has cooled below the point at which the switch 180 is tripped. The blower 100 operates when the motor 94 runs and when the valve 112 is closed to continue to purge the burner During start up of the system, the motor switch 212 is held down until the centrifugal switch 160 is closed, then, with the motor switch 212 still held down, a switch 220 is closed for a period of time sufficient to energize a relay 222 including switches 224, 226. The relay 222 is a latching-type relay in that, once it is energized, current will flow from the terminal L switch 210, switch 160, switch 226, switch 182, a timer 228 and the coil of the relay to N. The timer 228 may be, for instance, a conventional and commercially available manually-adjustable timer arranged to open a circuit which is closed therethrough after a predetermined time period. Thus, the timer 228 is a means for shutting down the entire apparatus after a predetermined period of time by deenergizing the relay 222.

It will be remembered that the switch 182 is a normally closed switch which will be tripped open if the system, for some reason, gets too hot. The relay 222- will be deenergized by the tripping open of the switch 182.

When the relay 222 is energized by closing the switch 220, the switch 224 of the relay is operated to energize the motor 94 directly through the centrifugal switch 160 and main switch 210. Thus, the motor 94 will stay energized as long as the relay 222 is energized or as long as the switch 180 is against its associated contact lb. There is a possibility, however, that a rock or some other foreign element could get into the receiver 14 to block the rotation of the drum 40. If this happens, the centrifugal switch will open immediately to deenergize the motor 94 as well as the relay 222.

I provide a manually-operated switch 230 for use in manually controlling the electrically-operated fuel valve 112 and a high voltage transformer 234, the secondary coil of which is connected to a spark plug as indicated at 236. The spark plug 236, of course, ignites the combustible mixture in the burner 70. In the illustrative embodiment, the valve 112 and the transformer 234 are energized by current flow between two terminals as indicated at 238, 240. I prefer to connect, between these two terminals, the flame sensing means 200 and a time delay means 242 as illustrated in the lower part of FIG. 9. The time delay means 242 may preferably be a commercially available electrical device which will open one circuit and close another a predetennined time period after it is energized. For instance, I may set the time delay means 242 so that it will open a direct circuit between terminals 238, 240 a period of five seconds after the relay 222 is energized so that the terminals 238, 240 will be connected directly through the flame sensing means 200. The flame sensing means 200 is preferably of such a type that there will be circuit continuity between the terminals 238, 240 as long as the sensing means senses a flame from the burner 70. The purpose of the time delay means 242 is to keep the valve 112 open and the transformer 234 energized for a short period after start up to give the flame a chance to appear. It will be appreciated that, in a working system, one side of the flame sensing means 200 and/or the time delay means 242 may be connected to N, FIG. 4 merely being functional.

Thus, the fuel supply will be shut off and the spark plug transformer 234 will be deenergized if the switch 230 is opened, if the flame of the burner 70 goes out, if the switch 182 is opened by the temperature rod 170,

or if the relay 222 is deenergized. This constitutes my burner control system.

It will be appreciated that, when the timer 228 deenergizes the relay 222, the valve 112 will be closed, the transformer 234 will be deenergized, and the solenoid 148 will be energized to stop feeding beans into the receiver 14. The motor 94 will then continue to turn the drum 40 and blower 100 until the temperature rod 170 trips the switch 180 to open circuit the motor. Then, the centrifugal switch 160 will open and the system will be shut down.

If the system becomes overheated to the point that the temperature rod 170 will open the switch 182, the relay 222 will be deenergized immediately to initiate the system shut down and, immediately, the fuel valve 112 will be closed.

It will be appreciated, therefore, that the control system of FIG. 9 and particularly the switches 180, 182 of that control system utilizes the heating up and cooling off of the apparatus as control parameters. I believe that my concept of utilizing the expansion and contraction of the receiver 14 as means for indicating the control parameters and operating the switches 180, 182 results in an extremely simple, but yet very effective and reliable control system.

My system 10 has been used to treat raw corn. The results obtained by feeding the treated corn have been exceptionally good. These results were reported by the Cooperative Extension Service, Agricultural Experiment Station, Purdue University, Lafayette, Indiana on Mar. 26, 1970 at its annual Cattle Feeders Day Program. The Purdue report points out that the corn was treated by my machine disclosed herein until its temperature, at the exit end of the machine, was approximately 300 F. While the density of raw corn is approxi mately 45 lbs. per cubic foot, the density of corn treated by Purdue in my machine was 39 lbs. per cubic foot, thus indicating an expansion of the corn in the heat treating process.

The Purdue experiment involved feeding one hundred eighty-two heifers averaging 510 lbs., initially. The heifers were divided into two lots of ninety-one each on Nov. 20, 1969. The data reported by Purdue were based on 112 days of experimenting. The heifers were fed a full feed of corn (raw for one lot and roasted or heat-treated for the other lot) which was ground and mixed with supplements in a ratio of 8 units ground shelled corn to 1 unit of supplement on an ad lib basis. The supplement was based on the following formula developed by Purdue: In 1000 lb. mix, 1b.: Soybean meal, 640; molasses, 140; dehydrated alfalfa meal, 140; dicalcium phosphate, 52; iodized salt, 18; premix, l (10 million I.U. vitamin A, 5 gm. DES, 625 gm. zinc oxide, 2 gm. cobalt carbonate, 7 lb. soybean meal).

Medium quality hay was offered on a limited basis in order to provide minimum roughage.

The heifers which were fed the said mix including the roasted corn gained 14 percent more rapidly and.

required percent less feed per pound of gain than those fed the mixture including regular, or, raw corn. These differences are reflected in lower total digestible nutrient (TDN) requirements and lower feed cost per pound of gain for those fed corn treated in my machine over those fed raw or untreated corn. Table I, below, illustrates these differences.

TABLE I Item Unit raw corn roasted corn No. heifers No. SH 91 Growth rate Wt. Nov. 20, 1969 lb. 509 513 Wt. March 12, 1970 lb. 770 8ll Gain per heifer lb. 261 298 Daily gain lb. 2.33 2.66 Daily feed consumption Corn lb. 11.9 12.4 Supplement lb. l .5 l .6 Hay lb. 2.4 2.4 Feed per pounds gain Corn lb. 512 468 Supplement lb. 64 58 Hay lb. I01 89 Dry feed per 100 lb. gain lb. 677 615 TDN per 100 lb. gain lb. 487 444 Feed cost per lb. gain cents l4.6 14.0

cents cents My electric-type apparatus, which is basically the same as the previously discussed gas-type apparatus 10 except that it utilizes electric heating elements rather than a gas burner, is illustrated in FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 and is indicated generally by reference numeral 300. Where the components of electric-type apparatus 300 are essentially the same as the corresponding component of my gas-type apparatus 10, although they may differ in size, construction material, etc., like reference numerals will be used.

The electric-type apparatus 300 comprises a base frame 12 upon which is supported a receiver 302, the receiver being in the form of a substantially closed, elongated housing or trough which may be suitably incased in heat-insulating material 16. The base frame 12, which preferably is supported at one end by means of slope adjusting screws 18, includes vertically extending support frame members 20 which support the receiver 302 as well as the elements and mechanism associated therewith. The upper portion of the apparatus 300, i.e., the portion including the elongated receiver 302, is preferably covered with sheet metal panels 304.

As most clearly shown in FIG. 12, the receiver 302 is a cylindrically-shaped tubular member in the upper portion of which are mounted three U-shaped sheathed tubular electric heating elements 306 which extend along the longitudinal axis of the receiver 302. The electric heating elements 306 are fastened by suitable means (not shown) to a plate 308 with a deflecting lip 310, the plate 308 being removably attached by suitable means (not shown) to the receiver 302 thereby removably securing the heating elements 306 to the receiver 302. p

A drum 40 is mounted within the receiver 302 for rotation about its axis defined by the shaft 42, which axis is eccentric to and below the longitudinal axis of the receiver 302. The shaft 42 is journal mounted in the apparatus 300 by bearing means 44 (see FIG. 10). Concentric circular plates 46, which are securely fastened to the shaft 42, support the drum 40 having a mu]- tiplicity of outwardly-extending fins 48 uniformly peripherally spaced about its external surface. I prefer that there by approximately one-half inch clearance between the tip of each fin 48 and the inside surface of the lower portion of the receiver 302 in order to keep from cracking the soybeans.

In one operative embodiment of my electric-type apparatus 300, satisfactory results are achieved when using a drum 40 which is 43- 1% inches long and 44:

inches in outside diameter, the fins being parallel with the drum axis, being equally spaced at thirty degrees about the periphery of the drum and being threeeighths inch in radial extent the drum being driven at 110 r.p.m. in the direction of the arrow 50 in FIG. 12. The drum is tilted, of course, by means of the slope adjusting screws 18 which can be used adjustably to raise and lower the base frame 12 upon which the drum 40 is journal mounted.

Soybeans or other granular organic materials are fed into the receiver 302 by means of an inlet hopper 52 which includes a feed screw conveying means and variable speed drive arrangement 54, 56. The feed screw 54 delivers the beans at a controlled rate to a chute 58 from which the beans move into the inlet end of the receiver 302. Since the receiver 302 and drum 40 are inclined downwardly from the inlet end of the receiver and since the drum rotates, the beans move from the inlet end toward the exit end of the receiver 302 and out of the receiver as indicated at 60. From the exit end, the beans may fall directly onto the floor, into a bin or into a hopper with a conveyor means.

During the movement of the beans from the inlet end to the exit end of the receiver 302, they are cascaded by the drum 40 and particularly by the fins 48 carried on the drum about the interior of the receiver. Specifically, the beans falling through the chute 58 drop into the outwardly opening pockets defined by adjacent fins 48. At the outset, all of the beans in any one pocket will be disposed at the inlet end of the drum 40; but the beans in any one pocket will tend to travel from right to left as viewed in FIG. as rotation of the drum continues. Obviously, beans delivered to any pocket will first be carried in a counterclockwise direction (FIG. 12) down into and through the lower portion of the receiver 302 and then up into and through the upper portion of the receiver 302. The beans are heated as they are thrown through the upper portion of the receiver 302 in close proximity to the electric heating elements 306. The deflecting lip 310 deflects beans from coming into direct contact with the heating elements 306 as they are cascaded into close proximity thereof.

Thus, the beans are exposed, for brief periods, to the infra-red energy from the heating elements 306 and, of course, to heat by convection as well as to heat by conduction. Because of this technique, a very intense heat can be used without scorching the beans.

The heat required for proper treatment of soybeans in my electric-type apparatus 300 ranges from 140 to 240 B.T.U. per pound and is influenced by the temperature and the moisture content of the raw beans introduced to the apparatus. Some heat, of course, passes through the receiver 302 into the room. atmosphere; other heat escapes with the exhaust gases; but most of the heat is absorbed in the beans or is used in reducing their moisture content. The beans discharged from the apparatus 300 contain approximately 5 percent less moisture than the beans introduced into the apparatus.

A motor 94, which is the prime mover for my apparatus 300, is mounted on the base frame 12 connected to a shaft 312 conventionally journal mounted in the apparatus 300. An intermediate shaft 120 is journal mounted in the apparatus 300 by bearing means 122 and driven from the shaft 312 by V-belt 130, which is trained about a pulley 132 on the shaft and a pulley 134 on the shaft 312. The drum shaft 42 may be drivingly connected to the shaft 120 by means such as the illustrated chain 136 which is trained about a sprocket 138 mounted on the shaft 42 and a sprocket 140 mounted on the shaft 120. The hopper drive arrangement 56 may be drivingly connected to the shaft 42 by means of a chain 142 which is trained about a sprocket 144 and a similar sprocket (not shown) in the drive arrangement 56. In FIG. 11, I show a springloaded idler roller 143 for keeping proper tension on the chain 142. The sprocket 144 is drivingly connected to the shaft 42 by means of an electrically-operated clutch 146 which, in the illustrative embodiment, includes a solenoid 148 and a spring 150 acting in opposition to the solenoid. The sprocket 144 is rigidly mounted on a concentric hub 151 which can rotate relative to the sprocket 138. This hub 141 has a pair of holes in it which are arranged to engage, respectively, a pair of axially extending pins carried by the sprocket 138. When the solenoid 148 is deenergized, the spring 150 pushes the hub 151 into engagement with the sprocket 138 drivingly to connect the hopper drive arrangement 56 to the sprocket 138. Beans are fed, therefore, when the solenoid 148 is deenergized and the drum 40 is rotated.

A centrifugal switch 152 is a control element, this switch being associated with the intermediate shaft 120. The switch 152, includes a pair of chains 154 which, as shown in FIG. 10, are connected between a stationary point on the shaft 120 and an axially movable collar 156 on the shaft, these chains being conventionally weighted. The collar 156 carries a circular plate 158 which moves axially to the right as viewed in FIG. 10 when the shaft 120 is rotating at the desired speed to move away from and operate a microswitch 160. The collar 156 and plate 158 move axially to the right in opposition to a coiled compression spring 162. Thus, if for some reason, this shaft 120 significantly slows down or stops, the spring 162 takes over to move the plate 158 into engagement with the switch 160. I prefer that the switch be closed when the shaft 120 rotates and open when the shaft is not rotating.

A vent 316 communicates with the interior of the receiver 302 at the fed-in end thereof to permit gases generated during treatment of the beans or other granular material to be removed from the apparatus 300. In the vent 316, or at any other suitable location within the apparatus 300, there is a clutch thermostat 313 and a high limit thermostat 314 as shown in FIG. 11. The clutch thermostat 313 actuates the bean feeding mechanism 54, 56 when the apparatus has been sufficiently heated, e.g., about 325 F. If for some reason the apparatus cools down, the heating elements having been turned off or are not working, the clutch thermostat 313 will turn off the main motor 94 and thus the feed of beans to the receiver 302 will be terminated also. The clutch thermostat 313 is set to do this at about 350 F, the temperature settings being dependent upon, among other things, the position of the thermostat and the material being treated.

The high temperature thermostat 314 turns off the heating elements if the temperature gets too high. The motor driving the drum 40 will continue until the clutch thermostat 313 turns it off, i.e., the apparatus has cooled down to a predetermined temperature.

The apparatus 300 operates essentially in the same manner as previously discussed in connection with apparatus 10. A switch (not shown) is actuated to start the motor 94 which drives the shaft 120 to cause the centrifugal switch 160 to close. This provides power to the automatic control system and the heating elements begin to heat and the drum 40 begins to rotate. When the temperature in the apparatus 300 has reached a predetermined level the clutch thermostat 313 actuates the bean feeding mechanism 54, 56 to provide beans to the receiver 302. Timing means are generally provided to stop the bean feeding mechanism after a pre-set time period or upon emptying of the hopper 52.

When the apparatus 300 is turned off the heating elements and bean feeding mechanism are turned off, but the motor 94 continues to drive the drum 40, so that it does not warp by cooling down while stationary. When the apparatus has cooled down sufficiently to actuate the clutch thermostat 313 then the latter causes the motor 94 to stop and thus stop the drum 40. The particular circuitry to effect this operation of the apparatus 300 would be a matter of choice within the ordinary skill of one in the art and does not per se constitute a part of the present invention.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention as hereinbefore set forth will occur to those skilled in the art, and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications and variations as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

1 claim:

1. An apparatus for heat treating granular, organic materials comprising an elongated receiver having an inlet near one end and an outlet near its other end, a drum mounted in said receiver for turning movement about its own axis which extends longitudinally of said receiver, means for driving said drum, said drum providing fins projecting outwardly relative to said axis, and burner means including conduit means extending longitudinally of said receiver and provided with a longitudinally spaced plurality of ports opening toward the interior of said receive i, and means for supplying a combustible mixture to said conduit means for ignition and ejection through said ports to provide a laterally restricted wall of flame extending longitudinally and inwardly toward the external surface of said drum during turning movement of the latter, said conduit means being provided by a plurality of axially aligned conduit sections jointed together to permit independent longitudinal expansion and contraction of each said section, said fins being effective, when said drum is driven, intermittently and rapidly to cascade granules disposed in said receiver through such a wall of flame.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which each of said conduit sections is provided with a reduced axially extending portion atone of its ends and a bore at the other of its ends, adjacent conduit sections being loosely slip jointed together with each bore telescopically receiving the reduced portion of the adjacent section.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said conduit sections are jointed by means of adjacent sections being loosely telescopically related.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, in which said receiver is supported with its length inclined slightly downwardly from said inlet end to said outlet end, in which each conduit section includes flame guard means disposed between the said ports in said section and the external surface of said drum, said guard means being constructed and arranged to define a laterally restricted and longitudinally extending opening for defining such a wall of flame, and in which said flame guard means and said means for supplying a combustible mixture are effective to direct such flame to impinge upon a peripherally-narrow, longitudinally-continuous region of said drum of continuously-changing peripheral position during turning movement of said drum.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 in which, in cross-section, the lower portion of the receiver is an arc concentric with the axis of said drum while the upper portion of the receiver is generally elliptical, said upper portion of said receiver being provided with a longitudinally extending slot therein providing laterally spaced apart and longitudinally extending edges, each of said conduit sections resting on said side edges with its flame guard means extending downwardly into said receiver.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 in which said upper portion is provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart expansion slits, each slit being in communication with said slot and extending laterally about said upper portion and downwardly toward said lower portion.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 including deflector covers for said expansion slits, each of said deflector covers being fastened to the outside of said upper portion at one point to permit longitudinal expansion and contraction of said upper portion relative thereto.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said receiver is supported with its length inclined slightly downwardly from the inlet end toward the outlet end, in which, in cross section, said receiver has a lower portion which is an arc concentric with the axis of said drum and an upper portion which is raised above a circular extension of said arc, said upper portion being provided with a longitudinally extending slot therein substantially throughout the length thereof to provide laterally spaced apart and longitudinally extending edges, and in which each of said conduit sections is proportioned and constructed to span said slot and to rest on its said side edges.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 in which said slot is disposed generally in vertical registry with the axis of said drum, in which each of said conduit sections includes flame guard means disposed to extend downwardly through said slot to be between the said ports in said section and the external surface of said drum and constructed and arranged to define a laterally restricted and longitudinally extending opening for defining such a wall of flame, and in which said flame guard means and said means for supplying a combustible mixture are effective to direct such a flame downwardly to impinge upon a peripherally-narrow, longitudinally-continuous region of said drum of continuously-changing peripheral position during turning movement of said drum.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 in which said upper portion is provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart expansion slits, each slit being in communication with said slot and extending laterally about said upper portion and downwardly toward said lower portion.

11. An apparatus for heat treating granular, organic materials comprising an elongated receiver having an inlet near one end and an outlet near its other end, a drum mounted in said receiver for turning movement about its own axis which extends longitudinally of said receiver, means for driving said drum about its axis, said drum providing fins projecting outwardly relative to said axis, burner means including conduit means extending longitudinally of said receiver and provided with a longitudinally spaced plurality of ports opening toward the interior of said receiver, and means for supplying a combustible mixture to said conduit means for ignition and ejection through said ports to provide a laterally restricted wall of flame extending longitudinally and inwardly toward the external surface of said drum during turning movement of the latter, said fins being effective, when said drum is driven, intermittently and rapidly to cascade granules disposed in said receiver through such a wall of flame, and control means including means for controllably feeding granules into the inlet end of said receiver for movement toward said outlet end and means for controlling said burner means.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 in which said feeding means is electrically operated and including a switch dominating said feeding means and means for operating said switch to start said feeding means when said receiver is heated to a predetermined temperature and to stop said feeding means when said receiver cools below said predetermined temperature.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 in which said means for operating said switch includes a rod extending longitudinally of said receiver, said rod being insulated from said receiver, means for connecting one end of said rod to the adjacent end of said receiver for movement therewith and means for operatively connecting the other end of said rod to said switch, whereby said switch is operated by the longitudinal expansion and contraction of said receiver.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 in which said burner control means includes an electrically-operated valve for controlling the flow of a combustible mixture to said conduit means, a second switch dominating said valve, and means for operatively connecting said second switch to said other end of said rod, said second switch being arranged to close said valve when said receiver is heated to a second and significantly higher pre-determined temperature. v

15. The apparatus of claim 14 in which said burner control means includes flame sensing means arranged to detect the presence or absence of such a wall of flame, said sensing means being operatively connected to said valve and arranged to establish a circuit condition which keeps said valve open when such a wall of flame exists and which closes said valve when such a wall of flame disappears.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 including a centrifugal switch for controlling current flow to and thereby dominating said feeding means and burner control means, said centrifugal switch being operated by said driving means to establish a circuit condition effective to operate said feeding means and to open said valve only when said drum is rotating.

17. The apparatus of claim 11 in which said feeding means and said burner control means are electrically operated and including a centrifugal switch for controlling current flow to and thereby dominating said feeding means and burner control means, said centrifugal switch being operated by said driving means to establish a circuit condition effective to operate said feeding means and said burner control means only when said drum is rotating.

18. The apparatus of claim 11 in which said feeding means includes a hopper for storing granules, conveyor means for moving such granules from said hopper to said inlet, and an electrically-operated clutch for drivingly connecting said conveyor means to said means for driving said drum.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 including a switch dominating said clutch and means for operating said switch to engage said clutch and initiate feeding when said receiver is heated to a predetermined temperature and to disengage said clutch and stop feeding when said receiver cools below said predetermined temperature.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 in which said means for operating said switch includes a rod extending longitudinally of said receiver, said rod being insulated from said receiver, means for connecting one end of said rod to the adjacent end of said receiver for movement therewith and means for operatively connecting the other end of said rod to said switch, whereby said switch is operated by the longitudinal expansion and contraction of said receiver.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 in which said burner control means includes an electrically-operated valve for controlling the flow of a combustible mixture to said conduit means, a second switch dominating said valve, and means for operatively connecting said second switch to said other end of said rod, said second switch being arranged to close said valve when said receiver is heated to a second and significantly higher predetermined temperature.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 including a centrifugal switch for controlling current flow to and thereby dominating said clutch and said valve, said centrifugal switch being operated by said driving means to establish a circuit condition effective to engage said clutch and to open said valve only when said drum is rotating.

23. The apparatus of claim 13 in which said conduit means is provided by a plurality of axially aligned conduit sections, telescopically jointed together to permit independent longitudinal expansion and contraction of each said section, in which said receiver is supported with its length inclined slightly downwardly from the inlet end toward the outlet end, in which, in cross section, said receiver has a lower portion which is an arc concentric with the axis of said drum and an upper portion which is raised above a circular extension of said arc, said upper portion being provided with a longitudinally extending slot therein substantially throughout the length thereof to provide laterally spaced apart and longitudinally extending edges, and in which each of said conduit sections is proportioned and constructed to span said slot and to rest on its said side edges.

24. An apparatus for heat treating granular, organic materials comprising an elongated receiver having an inlet near one end and an outlet near its other end, a drum mounted in said receiver for turning'movement about its own axis which extends longitudinally of said receiver, means for driving said drum about its axis, said drum providing fins projecting outwardly relative to said axis, heating means extending longitudinally of said receiver, said fins being effective, when said drum is driven, intermittently and rapidly to cascade granules disposed in said receiver into close proximity of said heating means and control means including means for controllably feeding granules into the inlet end of said receiver for movement toward said outlet end and means for controlling said heating means.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said control means actuate said feeding means when said receiver is heated to a predetermined temperature and stop said feeding means when said receiver cools below said predetermined temperature.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein said means to actuate and said feed means includes thermostat means.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein a second thermostat means deactivates said heating means when the temperature in said receiver exceeds a predetermined level.

28. The apparatus of claim 24 in which said feeding means includes a hopper for storing granules, conveyor means for moving such granules from said hopper to said inlet, and an electrically-operated clutch for drivingly connecting said conveyor means to said means for driving said drum.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 including switch means dominating said clutch and means for operating said switch to engage said clutch and initiate feeding when said receiver is heated to a predetermined temperature and to disengage said clutch and stop feeding when said receiver cools below said predetermined temperature.

30. The apparatus of claim 24 in which said feeding means and said heating means are electrically operated and including a centrifugal switch for controlling current flow to and thereby dominating said feeding means and heating means, said centrifugal switch being operated by said driving means to establish a circuit condition effective to operate said feeding means and said heating means only when said drum is rotating. 

1. An apparatus for heat treating granular, organic materials comprising an elongated receiver having an inlet near one end and an outlet near its other end, a drum mounted in said receiver for turning movement about its own axis which extends longitudinally of said receiver, means for driving said drum, said drum providing fins projecting outwardly relative to said axis, and burner means including conduit means extending longitudinally of said receiver and provided with a longitudinally spaced plurality of ports opening toward the interior of said receiver, and means for supplying a combustible mixture to said conduit means for ignition and ejection through said ports to provide a laterally restricted wall of flame extending longitudinally and inwardly toward the external surface of said drum during turning movement of the latter, said conduit means being provided by a plurality of axially aligned conduit sections jointed together to permit independent longitudinal expansion and contraction of each said section, said fins being effective, when said drum is driven, intermittently and rapidly to cascade granules disposed in said receiver through such a wall of flame.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which each of said conduit sections is provided with a reduced axially extending portion at one of its ends and a bore at the other of its ends, adjacent conduit sections being loosely slip jointed together with each bore telescopically receiving the reduced portion of the adjacent section.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said conduit sections are jointed by means of adjacent sections being loosely telescopically related.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3, in which said receiver is supported with its length inclined slightly downwardly from said inlet end to said outlet end, in which each conduIt section includes flame guard means disposed between the said ports in said section and the external surface of said drum, said guard means being constructed and arranged to define a laterally restricted and longitudinally extending opening for defining such a wall of flame, and in which said flame guard means and said means for supplying a combustible mixture are effective to direct such flame to impinge upon a peripherally-narrow, longitudinally-continuous region of said drum of continuously-changing peripheral position during turning movement of said drum.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4 in which, in cross-section, the lower portion of the receiver is an arc concentric with the axis of said drum while the upper portion of the receiver is generally elliptical, said upper portion of said receiver being provided with a longitudinally extending slot therein providing laterally spaced apart and longitudinally extending edges, each of said conduit sections resting on said side edges with its flame guard means extending downwardly into said receiver.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5 in which said upper portion is provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart expansion slits, each slit being in communication with said slot and extending laterally about said upper portion and downwardly toward said lower portion.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6 including deflector covers for said expansion slits, each of said deflector covers being fastened to the outside of said upper portion at one point to permit longitudinal expansion and contraction of said upper portion relative thereto.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said receiver is supported with its length inclined slightly downwardly from the inlet end toward the outlet end, in which, in cross section, said receiver has a lower portion which is an arc concentric with the axis of said drum and an upper portion which is raised above a circular extension of said arc, said upper portion being provided with a longitudinally extending slot therein substantially throughout the length thereof to provide laterally spaced apart and longitudinally extending edges, and in which each of said conduit sections is proportioned and constructed to span said slot and to rest on its said side edges.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8 in which said slot is disposed generally in vertical registry with the axis of said drum, in which each of said conduit sections includes flame guard means disposed to extend downwardly through said slot to be between the said ports in said section and the external surface of said drum and constructed and arranged to define a laterally restricted and longitudinally extending opening for defining such a wall of flame, and in which said flame guard means and said means for supplying a combustible mixture are effective to direct such a flame downwardly to impinge upon a peripherally-narrow, longitudinally-continuous region of said drum of continuously-changing peripheral position during turning movement of said drum.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9 in which said upper portion is provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart expansion slits, each slit being in communication with said slot and extending laterally about said upper portion and downwardly toward said lower portion.
 11. An apparatus for heat treating granular, organic materials comprising an elongated receiver having an inlet near one end and an outlet near its other end, a drum mounted in said receiver for turning movement about its own axis which extends longitudinally of said receiver, means for driving said drum about its axis, said drum providing fins projecting outwardly relative to said axis, burner means including conduit means extending longitudinally of said receiver and provided with a longitudinally spaced plurality of ports opening toward the interior of said receiver, and means for supplying a combustible mixture to said conduit means for ignition and ejection through said ports to provide a laterally restricted wall of flame extendinG longitudinally and inwardly toward the external surface of said drum during turning movement of the latter, said fins being effective, when said drum is driven, intermittently and rapidly to cascade granules disposed in said receiver through such a wall of flame, and control means including means for controllably feeding granules into the inlet end of said receiver for movement toward said outlet end and means for controlling said burner means.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11 in which said feeding means is electrically operated and including a switch dominating said feeding means and means for operating said switch to start said feeding means when said receiver is heated to a predetermined temperature and to stop said feeding means when said receiver cools below said predetermined temperature.
 13. The apparatus of claim 12 in which said means for operating said switch includes a rod extending longitudinally of said receiver, said rod being insulated from said receiver, means for connecting one end of said rod to the adjacent end of said receiver for movement therewith and means for operatively connecting the other end of said rod to said switch, whereby said switch is operated by the longitudinal expansion and contraction of said receiver.
 14. The apparatus of claim 13 in which said burner control means includes an electrically-operated valve for controlling the flow of a combustible mixture to said conduit means, a second switch dominating said valve, and means for operatively connecting said second switch to said other end of said rod, said second switch being arranged to close said valve when said receiver is heated to a second and significantly higher pre-determined temperature.
 15. The apparatus of claim 14 in which said burner control means includes flame sensing means arranged to detect the presence or absence of such a wall of flame, said sensing means being operatively connected to said valve and arranged to establish a circuit condition which keeps said valve open when such a wall of flame exists and which closes said valve when such a wall of flame disappears.
 16. The apparatus of claim 15 including a centrifugal switch for controlling current flow to and thereby dominating said feeding means and burner control means, said centrifugal switch being operated by said driving means to establish a circuit condition effective to operate said feeding means and to open said valve only when said drum is rotating.
 17. The apparatus of claim 11 in which said feeding means and said burner control means are electrically operated and including a centrifugal switch for controlling current flow to and thereby dominating said feeding means and burner control means, said centrifugal switch being operated by said driving means to establish a circuit condition effective to operate said feeding means and said burner control means only when said drum is rotating.
 18. The apparatus of claim 11 in which said feeding means includes a hopper for storing granules, conveyor means for moving such granules from said hopper to said inlet, and an electrically-operated clutch for drivingly connecting said conveyor means to said means for driving said drum.
 19. The apparatus of claim 18 including a switch dominating said clutch and means for operating said switch to engage said clutch and initiate feeding when said receiver is heated to a predetermined temperature and to disengage said clutch and stop feeding when said receiver cools below said predetermined temperature.
 20. The apparatus of claim 19 in which said means for operating said switch includes a rod extending longitudinally of said receiver, said rod being insulated from said receiver, means for connecting one end of said rod to the adjacent end of said receiver for movement therewith and means for operatively connecting the other end of said rod to said switch, whereby said switch is operated by the longitudinal expansion and contraction of said receiver.
 21. The apparatus of claim 20 in which said burner Control means includes an electrically-operated valve for controlling the flow of a combustible mixture to said conduit means, a second switch dominating said valve, and means for operatively connecting said second switch to said other end of said rod, said second switch being arranged to close said valve when said receiver is heated to a second and significantly higher predetermined temperature.
 22. The apparatus of claim 21 including a centrifugal switch for controlling current flow to and thereby dominating said clutch and said valve, said centrifugal switch being operated by said driving means to establish a circuit condition effective to engage said clutch and to open said valve only when said drum is rotating.
 23. The apparatus of claim 13 in which said conduit means is provided by a plurality of axially aligned conduit sections, telescopically jointed together to permit independent longitudinal expansion and contraction of each said section, in which said receiver is supported with its length inclined slightly downwardly from the inlet end toward the outlet end, in which, in cross section, said receiver has a lower portion which is an arc concentric with the axis of said drum and an upper portion which is raised above a circular extension of said arc, said upper portion being provided with a longitudinally extending slot therein substantially throughout the length thereof to provide laterally spaced apart and longitudinally extending edges, and in which each of said conduit sections is proportioned and constructed to span said slot and to rest on its said side edges.
 24. An apparatus for heat treating granular, organic materials comprising an elongated receiver having an inlet near one end and an outlet near its other end, a drum mounted in said receiver for turning movement about its own axis which extends longitudinally of said receiver, means for driving said drum about its axis, said drum providing fins projecting outwardly relative to said axis, heating means extending longitudinally of said receiver, said fins being effective, when said drum is driven, intermittently and rapidly to cascade granules disposed in said receiver into close proximity of said heating means and control means including means for controllably feeding granules into the inlet end of said receiver for movement toward said outlet end and means for controlling said heating means.
 25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said control means actuate said feeding means when said receiver is heated to a predetermined temperature and stop said feeding means when said receiver cools below said predetermined temperature.
 26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein said means to actuate and said feed means includes thermostat means.
 27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein a second thermostat means deactivates said heating means when the temperature in said receiver exceeds a predetermined level.
 28. The apparatus of claim 24 in which said feeding means includes a hopper for storing granules, conveyor means for moving such granules from said hopper to said inlet, and an electrically-operated clutch for drivingly connecting said conveyor means to said means for driving said drum.
 29. The apparatus of claim 28 including switch means dominating said clutch and means for operating said switch to engage said clutch and initiate feeding when said receiver is heated to a predetermined temperature and to disengage said clutch and stop feeding when said receiver cools below said predetermined temperature.
 30. The apparatus of claim 24 in which said feeding means and said heating means are electrically operated and including a centrifugal switch for controlling current flow to and thereby dominating said feeding means and heating means, said centrifugal switch being operated by said driving means to establish a circuit condition effective to operate said feeding means and said heating means only when said drum is rotating. 